Printing machine



w. T. GOLLWITZER W 2,132,415

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 3 Shgets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR.

A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 11, 198. I w. T. GQLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Oiiginal Filed Feb. 24, 1956' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY S.

Ochll, 1 938. w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,132,4"H:

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 '3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENmR.

, AmRNEY Q Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UN I TED S TATE S PATENT OFF'l-CE Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Wilmmgton, DeL, a corporation of Delaware 1 Original application February 24, 1936, Serial No. 65,376. Divided and this application February 19, 1938, Serial No. 191,501

14 Claims.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376, filed February 24, 1936.

This invention'relatesto printingmachines es- .5 pecially of the kind in which impressions are made on sheets fed through the machine from printing devices sequentially fed through the machine andthe primary object is to feed the'sheets rapidly and accurately into and'throug'h printing 10 position in the machine.

Another object is to provide a plurality of independent means along the-path of travel of the sheets through the machine'to move the sheets rapidly from one position'to "another.

A- further object is to'arrange'the sheet feeding means at selected positions alongthe path of travel ofthe sheetsrthrough the machinewhereby proper, efficient and speedy movement of the -sheets is-efiected.

A stillfurther object is-to 'provide sheetmovi'ng means that will normally be out of engagement with the sheets and "which will" be brought into engagement with the "sheets to eflect movement thereof through the machine at predetermined 2.5 times inthe operation ofthe'machine.

Other objects are to feed a sheet from the'sheet severingmechanism or:initial,posltion in the machine firsti'in one directioninto onepartof the machine'and then-in adifi'erent direction into 10 other parts of 'themachine inwhich parts various printing impressions may be made uponthe sheet andto'feed asheet from the sheet severing Vmechanism'or initial position in the machine into apart of the machine 'il1',WhiCh"a, printing impression is -made on'the sheet and then-pass the sheet backpast the next succeeding sheet severed in theseveringmechanism-ror otherwise intro-' =ducedinto other parts of themachineto receive 'further printing impressions thereon. o :A selectedem-bodimentof my invention is il- =lustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein Fig. 11s a top plan view-of an-entire machine embodying my invention;

lFig. 2 is atop plan -view,.drawn toan enlarged ;5 .scale, of -aportionof .the'right-han'd-end of the printing machine as viewed-.in-Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is ..a vertical sectional View taken sub- ..stantiallyon the line .3-3 .on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view througha portion of itherightshandend of the printing machineas viewed in Fig. 1;.and .Fig. 5 is a. sectional detail view taken substantially onthe line 55 on Fig. 4.

-The selected embodiment of the invention 5 shown inthe accompanying aw ngs is adapted forthe. preparation of checks and more; particularly dividend payment :checks of a corporation, but it is to be understood-that this is merely an illustrative use of 'theinvention for many other kinds of business instruments for many other 5 purposes may be prepared as will be apparent from the following description.

The distribution of 'adividend declared by a corporation among its shareholders is usually done by checks 'andbecause of'the large number of shareholders thepreparation. of the dividend checks has been an arduous and time-consuming task. The preparation of such checks has been simplified and speeded'upby printing the names or other identification of i the shareholders from printing devices, such as areshown for example in my Patent 1,979,261, patented November 6, 1934, bearing suitable means from which such impres 'sion could be made. "Furthermore, in =my copen-ding application Serial No.-65,376, filed February 24,1936, of which this application is a division, I illustrated an'd described in detail other mechanisms for facilitating *thedistribution of dividends by 'checksto the shareholders of a corporation 'and 'for the preparation of other like business instruments.

For the purpose of illustratingthis inventionI have shown-a -machine which will completely print .the check" or other businessinstrument and .to this end I have provided a printing couple 'wherein'the'dat the number, and signature may, be conveniently printed, -a variable printerunder control of a printingandcontrol device for-printing theamount, printing means for making an impression directly from the printing and control device toprintthe address and another printing couple wherein the form ofthe check may be conveniently printed,'and--a calculating machine, specifically in this instance,.an adding machine, whereina total of the amounts printedon the various checks may be accumulated and wherein avrecord of the amounts so printed may bevprepared. I have also shown a machine wherein a web is withdrawn from a-roll of blank paperand severed to provide the instrument blanks.

Thus, referring to the drawings, a roll R .of

' blank paper, which may be so-called safety paper when checks are'to be printed, is mounted in a suitable supporting standliilas, for example, like that shown in my coepending application Serial.

No. 78,681,.filed May 8, 1936. A web W is withdrawn from the roll and, if desired, suitable unwindingmeans such as that disclosed in my just referred to co-pending application may be associated with the rollso that tension onthe web will 55 be kept uniform. The web W is passed between the cylinders 5| and 52 of a printing couple, which cylinders are respectively mounted on shafts 53 and 54, Fig. 4, that are. suitably journaled in a frame 55, Figs. 1 and 2, mounted at the righthand end of the printing machine, as illustrated in Fig. 1. During impression operations of the cylinders 5| and 52 the web W is fed therethrough, additional feeding means for the web being mounted in the frame 55, as will be explained presently. 7

Power is supplied to the shafts 53 and 54 from a suitable motor 56 preferably mounted on the frame of the printing machine. A pulley is mounted on the shaft of the motor and an endless belt 58 is passed thereabout. The belt is also passed about the pulley 59 fast on the shaft 60' that is journaled in the frame 55 and which shaft 60 is continuously rotated so long as the motor 56 is in operation. A pinion 6|, Figs. 1 and 2, fast on the shaft 66 meshes with the gear 62 rotatably mounted on the shaft 63 rotatably journaled in the frame 55.

Preferably the shafts 53 and 54 are intermittently rotated and to this end a clutch is provided so that power may be intermittently picked up from the gear 62 and imparted to the shaft 63. To this end a hub 64 is provided on the gear 62 which has clutch teeth thereon. A collar 6 6, slidably but non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 53, has clutch teeth thereon adapted to cooperate with the clutch teeth on the hub 64. A stud 68 is provided on the collar 66 and is adapted to cooperate with a cam face 69, Fig. 2, on the plate I0 pivotally mounted on the frame 55. Springs I2 normally urge the clutch teeth on the collar 66 toward the clutch teeth on the hub and when these teeth are engaged the shaft 63 rotates the gear 62. However, when the cam face 69 on the plate I0 is in engagement with the stud 68, as shown in Fig. 2, the clutch teeth on the collar 66 are held separated from the clutch teeth on the hub 64, and the gear 62 rotates freely without imparting movement to the shaft 63. The engagement of the clutch teeth is under control of an electromagnet which is energized when initially setting the machine in operation, as more fully described in my copending application Serial No. 65,376, heretofore referred to. a

A bevel gear I9 fast on the shaft 63 meshes with a bevel gear fast on the shaft 53 whereby this shaft is rotated with shaft 63 whenever it is rotated. Equally sized intermeshing gears 8| and 82, Fig. 4., are respectively fast on the shafts 53 and 54 whereby these two shafts rotate in synchronism. The cylinder 5| may be segmental in shape to afford an interrupted platen adapted to cooperate with the printing cylinder 52.

In the present instance when checks are being printed the printing cylinder 52 is equipped with means for printing the signature, the numher, and the date on the check, as described in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376,

a pair of brackets 96 and SI supporting the devices which supply ink to such printing means.

The platen 5| is adapted to cooperate with the printing means on the printing cylinder 52 and in each rotation of the platen 5| and printing cylinder 52 impressions are made on the web W from the signature printing means, the date printing means, and the number means. The impressions are preferably made on the web at spaced intervals and the web is fed forwardly during an impression operation thereon. However, other feeding means are provided for the web which so feed the web that the various impressions made thereon in the printing couple are properly spaced relative to the longitudinal margins of the checks. The web is severed intermediate each set of impressions made by the printing means on the printing cylinder 52 so that one set of impressions appears on each of the checks. If business instruments other than checks were being printed in the machine, other types of printing means might be provided as dictated by the requirements of the particular instrument.

In the form of the invention illustrated I employ a webof a width equal to the desired length of the checks for checks are usually of greater length than width and by servering the checks from the web in this manner I am enabled to sever a great many more checks from a web of a given length than I would be able to do if the web were the same width as that desired of the checks and the web was severed transversely of the checks rather than longitudinally thereof. However, it is important that the checks be of a uniform width and I therefore feed the leading edge of the web past a severing device in an equal amount in each operation of the feeding means and by so doing I insure that the checks will be of uniform width.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a web feeding means such as is fully shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 65,376 and which includes a pair of shafts I25, I26a, Fig. 4, rotatably mounted in the frame 55. Suitable resilient clamping rollers as I2'I, Fig. 2, or the like are provided on the shafts and the web is clamped in the bite of these rollers. Suitable guide strips I29 extend between the shafts I25, I260. in staggered relation with the rollers as I2I, the inner free ends of these guide strips being supported near the discharge of the bite between the cylinders 5| and 52 by a rod I3 0. As the web passes from the bite between the cylinders 5| and 52 it moves up over the guides I29 into the bite between the rollers as I21. By resting the web on the strips I29 as it passes from the cylinders 5| and 52 it may buckle upwardly and the loop thus formed is diminished as the feed rollers as I2'I operate. This arrangement insures accurate registration of the impression made on the web.

Inasmuch as there may be conditions requiring variations in the width of the checks, I provide an adjustable crank arrangement in the means which imparts rotative movement to the shafts I25, a and to the feed rollers as I21 carried thereby. Such an adjustable crank includes the arm I3I fast on the shaft 53 and has a bifurcated guideway I32 therein. One end of a link I33 is adjustably secured in the guideway I32. The arm I3I rotates with the shaft 53 and'the adjustable mounting of. one end of the link I33 in this arm enables variation of the throw imparted to said link which varies the amount of rotation of the rollers I21 and hence the amount of web feed.

A rock arm I34 is pivotally mounted in the frame 55 and the free end of the link I33 is pivotally connected thereto. A gear segment I35 on the rock arm I 34 meshes with a pinion I36 fast on the shaft I26a that is in axial alignment with the rear shaft I25 arranged in the same longitudinal plane as the front shaft I25, Figs; 1 and 2. An overrunning clutch I31, Fig.

2, and a brake I38 of a design similar to the amen r overrunning c-lutch- I 3 1,1 are interposed between and rotates-the rear shaft I25.

:which'a rotary cutter I40 is mounted.

by suitably mounted clamping fingers I42.

rock arin 1 I34 is moved upwardly, thegear segment I35 'rotates'th-e pinion I36 andengages the "clutch I31 and disengage's the brake 138 Apinion [36' isprovi'de'd at the end of the shaft "I26a opposite the end at which 'thebrake I38 is'positinned, and a pinion- I39 fastonthe -shaft 125 meshes with pinion I36 so that 'when the shaft 126a 'is'rotated the shaft I2 5'is'also rotated.

"I'his'e'iTects-rotation o'f-the-rollers as I21 and feeding of the web. Whenhoweverthe rock arm I 34 moves downwardly, the gear segment I35 drives the pinion I36 but i this disengages the clutch I31 and engages the brake I38 "whereupon the-shafts I25, I 26a and therefore the 'rollers as l 21 are held against-movement and the web is clamped therebetween. The rock arm 134 is normally in the-position shown in Fig. 4 and moves downwardly 'during thefirst half of a cycleof operation and upwardly duringthe last half of thecycle.

"The feed rollers as I21 are operatedby the just described devices during the-last half of thecycle of 6 operation of the machine and during impression operations of the platen cylinder -5I and printing cylinder'52 and feed the'web past the severing device, nowto be described, in 'an amount equal to the desired width of the check.

The severing device operates during the'first half of a cycle of operation of the machine and severe the'check from the webthat was fed thereby in --the preceding cycle of operation. This severing deviceincludes acarriage I39on 'This rotary cutter I40 is urged into engagement with 'the leading edge of the ledge'by'aspring MIl onto which ledge the web-isdirected bythe guiding fingers I29- and against which it is held In one severing operation the carriage I39 and the cutter I40 'move'to'the'right, as viewed in Fig 3, across the web, an'din the next severing operation'move to the-left-across the web,

and this alternate movement of thecutter con- 'tinues throughout operation crane machineintermediateoperationsof the rollers as I21.

.Such reciprocatory movement is imparted to the carriage I39 from a suitable'rocker pivotallymounted on the-frame-55 and operated by a cam disc rotatably mounted on the shaft The carriajge I39 is mounted'for reciprocation on a track 'I55, Figs-2 and 3. A cable I56 is connected to the carriage and-is led about .a pulley I51 at oneend of the frame supportmounted. These cables I56 and I6!) are operated in a mannerto reciprocate the carriage I39 along the track .I55 as more fully described .in my co-pending applicationSerial No. 65,376.

Itwill thus beseenthat-Jduring thefirst'half "o'f'each cycle of operation a sheet such'asa ccheck fed pastthe severing devicein the preceding cycle of operation is severed from the web and is deposited in position -'to 'be fed through the machine in -the -manner'now to be described.

1 -Thechecks or sheetsfs severe'd from-the 'web 'are depo'sited' oni apan I 98,":Fig. 4, above the sheet gUi-deWay G for a purpose to be explained. The sheets are 'fed from t'his'pan and through the gu-ideway to receiveimpressions under control f the 1 printingnand control devices and directly from: the devices and then intoa printing couple wherein the form isprinted on the checks. In the presehtimachine impressions are I made on the s'heets under 1 control of the printing and control 'devices to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1,

of the position whereat' these sheetsare severed fromt the web, and impressions are made on the sheets directly from the printing devices and .theiform is printed onthe sheets to the left of such position, as viewed-in Fig. 1. 'It is tobe understood, -however, thatthe sheets could be severed from the'web to theleft or to the right of: all 'devices for "making impressions thereon or individual sheets :could be deposited in the guideway'iniany 'desired way for passage through the various printing mechanisms.

In thei present machine where sheets are severed from the'web I first make an impression thereon under control of the printing and control ldevices and to this end the sheets are first fed :into 2a variable printer, operable under control of :controlmeans on the printing and 'control devices. The variable printer is located toithe right,'- as viewed in Fig.1, of the position "where the sheets are severed from the web, and

suitable means are provided for feeding the sheets into this -variable printer.

Thus, as best shoWn in Fig. -2, a housing I is mounted on the frame 'of'the machine adja- 'cent theposition inwhich the severed sheets 'S are deposited on the pan I98. A motor I15 (Figs.

'2, '4 and 5) :is provide'd in this housing which'is mounted in -a frame'I11 that is pivotally'mounted #infthdhousing I15 asindicated at I13. The

motor inclu'des shaft I19 carrying a roller I 80 that isextended through an opening I8I in the =sheet guideI'82 on the pal-i198, which receives the sheet when it is severed from the web. "The motor I16 is so mounted that the shaft I19 thereof extends slightly at an angle relative to the l=ongitudinal extent of :a sheet fed theretowa'rd =an'dithis insuresproperfeeding of the sheet.

The mo-tor isof relatively small size and in 'orderthat feeding of a sheet by the roller I80 will-be assured *I elevate and lower-the motor, this-also having the effect of preventing the roller from crumpling or'tearingasheet moving into position therebelow'whenthe sheet is severed from a Web in the manner above described.

The roller I 80Jis lowered into engagement with the sheet: afterit has beensevereol from the Web and this is efiectecl under control of a rod I84 :thatengagestthe frame i-Il carrying the motor :I16.

' justablysecured 'ina bushing I85 on the arm I86 of-a'rocker I 81 pivotally mounted on the frame 55- at I38.

The rod I 84,-as best shown in Fig. 4, is ad- The rocker I'ill'includes an arm I69 to which one en'dof=-a springISfi'is connected, the other end 'of'saidspringbeing suitably anchored on the frame 55. The'spring I96 normally urges the shoulderon the arm "I89 upwardly against the It will be remembered that the sheet severing operation is completed about the time the rocker I34 attains its lowermost position. Thus a boss I92 is provided on the arm I89 in which an adjustable stop I93 is mounted and this adjustable stop is engaged by the rock arm I34 about the time it attains its lowermost position and at the time the rock arm attains its lowermost position the rocker I89 is pivoted downwardly whereupon the roller I engages the sheet on the pan I98 and feeds this sheet off of the pan I98. The roller I80 will be rotating rapidly and as a result of this I may use a motor of relatively small power to drive this roller and yet effect proper feeding of the sheet. The roller I80 feeds the sheet toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 2.

Another motor I94 is mounted in a housing I95 positioned to the right of the pan I98, as Viewed in Fig. 2, and this motor has a shaft I96 carrying a roller I91 under which a sheet fed to the right by the roller I89 passes, and the roller I91 acts to rapidly feed the sheet toward the right and into the variable printer, which printer is described more fully hereinafter.

In the present machine the sheets move in opposite directions in a portion of their line of travel. Thus the pan I98 is mounted above the bottom wall I99, Fig. 3, of the sheet guideway G. As the sheets are severed from the web they pass onto the plate I98 and the roller I80 engages the sheets as they pass onto this plate to eject them therefrom.

When the roller I80 moves a sheet toward the right, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, the shutter 200 is in the elevated position shown in Fig. 3 and the sheet engages the upturned end 20I of this shutter and is deflected thereby down onto the bottom wall I99 of the sheet guideway and the sheets are then fed onto the table 202 of the variable printer. The guideway G is provided by two strips 203 and 294 undercut on their adjacent sides and the sheets S pass through these undercut portions. By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the roller I91 is positioned to enage the sheets after they have passed below the shutter 200.

After an impression has been made on a sheet by the variable printer it is fed to the left, as viewed in Fig. l, and in this instance the sheet travels on the bottom wall I99 of the sheet guideway G and it will therefore pass below the pan I98. To insure such passage of the sheet, the shutter 290 is lowered into engagement with the right hand edge of the pan I98, the manner in which said shutter is so moved being explained hereinafter.

In order to move the sheet rapidly toward the left, a motor 205, Fig. 3, is mounted below the guideway G and includes a roller 208 that projects up through an opening in the lower wall on the sheet guideway. A clamping roller 291 is mounted above the guideway and, in a manner to be described hereinafter, after an impression has been made on a sheet by the variable printer this roller 201 lowers and clamps the sheet in engagement with the roller 296 whereupon the sheet is rapidly fed toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1.

As best shown in Fig. 3, three rollers 298, 209 and 2I0 project through suitable openings in the bottom wall I99 of the sheet guideway and, as best shown in Fig. 3, clamping rollers mounted immediately thereabove cooperate therewith. The rollers 288, 209 and. 2I0 are respectively fast on shafts 2| I, 2I2 and 2I3 on which shafts pulleys 2I4, 2I5 and 2I6 are respectively fast.

An endless belt 2I1 is passed about the pulleys 2I6, 2I5 and 2I4 and about a suitably mounted idler pulley 2 I 8 and also about a pulley mounted on the end of the shaft of the motor 56. Thus so long as the motor 56 is in operation the rollers 208, 209 and 2I0 are rotated and after a sheet has been fed by the rollers 200 and 201 it first moves into the bite between the roller 208 and its permanently mounted clamping roller 220 and then into the bite between the roller 209 and its permanently mounted clamping roller HI and thence into position above the roller 2H] and below the movably mounted clamping roller 222 that cooperates with the roller 2 I 0. The just described rollers feed the sheet into the addressing machine.

It will thus be seen that after a sheet is severed from the web it is first fed to the right into the variable printer, then printed, and then fed to the left into the printing machine and that in a part of its movement to the left the sheet moves below a part of its line of travel to the right.

The timing of the sheet movement in conjunction with operation of the variable printer and the timing of operation of the variable printer relative to the web feeding and severing means are explained in connection with the description of the variable printer in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376, but this timing is such that the sheets are fed one at a time into and from the variable printer. In the present instance upon moving from the variable printer the sheets are fed into an addressing machine wherein the name and address on the check or other identification is printed on the sheets.

The address printing means includes a frame 225 on which the parts thereof are mounted and a detail description of the structure and operation thereof is more particularly described in my co-pending application Serial No. 65,376.

The means which control the movement of sheets through the sheet guideway G are mounted on the rod 229 and are operated by cams carried by the cam shaft 221 and stop fingers are provided in the present instance which are movable to and from engagement with the leading edge of sheets moving through the guideway, these fingers being moved into stopping position and holding the sheets against further movement until a predetermined time in the operation when they are retracted from engagement with the sheets to permit the sheets to continue their movement through the guideway.

The stop fingers are mounted for pivotal movement to and from stopping position and are operated by peripheral cams. If it is desired to change the time at which the stop fingers move to and from stopping position, it is merely necessary to change the cams. One such cam is indicated by 230 in Fig. Zand it has a configuration which will operate one of the stop fingers in the manner required. It is the stop finger indicated by 236 that is pivoted to and from stopping position by the cam 230.

The roller 222 is carried on a rod 231 pivotally mounted at 238 on the bed of the printing machine. A finger 239 is connected to the rod 231 and is pivotally mounted and controlled in its movement by the cam 230a mounted on the cam shaft 221. At a predetermined time after a sheet has been stopped by the stop finger 230, the cam acts to raise the stop finger 238 and the cam 299a acts to lower the finger 239 whereupon the rod 231 is lowered, and the roller 222 clamps the sheet against the roller 2I0 so that the sheet is terv 20.0 is moved ifromandginto engagement. with moved. forwardly; int hasheet euidewar nto; he printing positiomofi he address; printingrmeans; hat: is to. sa .belowathe; platen P; Other: stun fin ersare arran ed along: the path of,;movemen,t of the sheets 8,; j and these. may; be moved 5 into loweredposition toengagethe leadingedgeohthe sheets to position them to receive; otherimpressions.. Such. other stop). fingers operate. in the same mannereas; thestop .ifingers 1236..

It-has been explained'iheretoforethat=the shutthe-pan' l98:;to insure passage. ofiasheet. Scfrom the pan 1 down into; the e sheet g.uideway.-G1-'andto then insure that the: sheet willlmove below. the pan 1 98-;and also thatlthe roller 20;"! Sis-moved} into. cooperating relation with .theroller 206:;whenthe. sheet: S is to be fedefrom the variable printer; After. an impression has been made. by. the: platen P.=0f:'the .variab1e. printer the shaft 503;.is. operated tolower the arm. 5.0.4! on whichthe roller 20l 'is mounted .and thereupon-the. roller. 2.01:: cooperates with the roller. 20.6 sandifeedsthe. sheet S: outof the variable printer; A pin 50.61.0nthe shaft 503: is positioned :below: the rod .506; carrying the shutter 29! said rod.506Rc1earing.thearrn 50.45. The rod: 5061is. pivotallymounted in a. bracket m'ounted on the table top of the variable printer; The rod 506 -isurged by gravity. into engagement with the pin 595 and follows. the movement. of this pin with theshaft 503'. It willthus be seen that when theroller. ZO'Iisretractedfrom clamp-. ing cooperation withthe -rol-ler 2.06 the. pin 5:95: elevates the rod 596- and 1 therefore the shutter Mill so that a sheet passing from the pan-H98 moves below-the shuttendown into the-guideway G to be fed into printing'position below. the vari ableprinter platen l? by the roller I91, and that after an impression hasbeen madeby the platen P the roller 2il-1':i's-moved into clamping cooperae tion with the roller Zllii to feed the: sheet out: of

printing position belew-the platen P and atthis. time theshutter 200 is-engaged with the pinl98' to insure movement of the sheet therebelow.

The roller- I91 feeds the-sheet into printing position-belowthe platen-P quite rapidly and the sheet' moves intoengagement with a stopv 509 carriedby rod-"51H adjustably mounted in a block 591. The rod 5H1 may be shifted-=through the block 50-! to enable properorientation of the sheet S below the platen P. The just described mechanisrh is more particularly disclosed in my 00 pending application Serial No.- 65,376 as-is the variable printer device.

' After a sheet leavesthevariableprinter it moves into engagement with the stop'finger 236- which hasbeen described. I Each of switches645 and fi48 -is-associated with astop finger and is adapted to control-operation of the machine especially if 'nosheet is fed past the switches end-which mechanism is more fully disclosedand described-in my co-pendingappli-cation Serial No. 65,376: r In operation of the machine a roll of paper is mounted in the stand 50 and a -web is drawn therefrom and passed between the cylinders 5| and 52 and through the bite of the feed rollers as l2! and beyond-thecutter I401 The main switch is-closed setting themotor 56 as well asthe motorsi for the feed rollers andother mechanisms inoperation.

When initially setting the machine in operation thecylinders 51 and 52 are operated to print: a signature; number and dateon the webandthe cutter 140 is operated to sever a sheet from the web? The sheet-'severed -from the web in this first operation is manually removedfromthe machine aswell, ;as additional sheets. Three sheets, in. all are manuallyremoved as such sheets will notbear the completeprinteds data from cylinders. 5| and 52:: thereon... When; the; fourth sheet-1 S: exendsbeyond the; cutter Mltit is. severedifrom the Web and fed: into the variable printer, this sheet being; the; first. bearing 'a-.signature, number and date; The =sheet;- is. .fed into; the variable printer becauseupon being severedfromthe webnit was. depositedinthepan I98. The motor llfiloperates to rotate roller; Hillv that extends through the. opening inthe sheet guide on the. pan 198.: The roller: lBiiI: is lowered into engagement. withzthe sheet; after. it has been severedfrom the Web; to urge the sheet to the right; Fig. 2; into engage.- ment with the. rotating rolleri'l 9T'under which the sheet is fedrand which roller I97 acts to rapidly feed the sheet toward the right and into .the variable printer: g

As soon as the platen-of the variableprinter has Ymade an impression on the sheet the roller 20'! engages the sheet to feedit out of'the variable printer, to the left inFig. 1, and: then the sheet which was severed-by the cutter Hidin; this cycle of operation moves into the variable printer. Thefprinted sheet which passesoutof the varie able printer moves under the pan H38 and: on into engagementwith the stop finger 236 where it is held :While an impression is being made upon the sheet: just'fed into thevariable printer and near the endof which cycle the stop finger 238' releases the first sheet which passes. on under propulsion of rollers 2|!land222. into engage.-

ment with a further stop finger to holdzthe, sheet beneath the platen P, whereuponthe first sheet receives an impression directly. from a suitable printing and control device in printing. position beneath the platen: After the platen P. hasmade an impression the. associatedstop. finger is retracted and the sheet advancesthroughathejsheet guidewayfinto engagementwitha further stop finger which in the next cycle .of operation-ism;- tracted and the first sheet receives; an impression between the formprinting cylinderearrangedat the left of Fig. 1"which finishes theprinting op erations on the first sheet'and it moves out-of the machine. A more detailed description of the operation of parts of the machine is containedin my co-pendingapplication Serial No... 65,376.,

I have provided a machine through which sheets constitutingv business instrumentsnmay be passed to be 1 completely printed;- with all; the data necessary and I haveshown anovel method of feeding the sheets through the machine: with facility and accuracy to, insure proper andrapid positioning of the sheets-in the various positions to receive impressions. I: have explained. the printing-of a business instrument but it is=torbe understood that instruments for any purpose may be prepared'in the machine without-departing from the scope of my invention. I have illustrated and described the preferred form of my invention but it'is to be understood that I donot wish to belimited to the preeise details set forthbut desire to avail myself of such changes andgalterations as'may' be desired to enable the invention to be usedfor the purpose for which itis or may be adapted? I claim:

1. A sheet feeding means for a printing'machine or the like andcomprising a-roller; a shaft for supporting said-=roller in sheet enga'gingand feeding position, means-operable on said shaft toset said-rollerinrapid rotation; a-support for said shaft and roller, and power driven means operable independently of the means operating on said shaft and operable on said support to effect movement of said roller from and to sheet engaging position whereby upon engagement of said roller with a sheet during rapid rotation of the roller will insure feeding of the sheet.

. 2. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like and comprising a rapidly rotating roller driven independently of the drive of the printing machine and cooperating with a sheet guideway to advance a sheet longitudinally through the guideway, supporting means for the roller, and means operable by the drive of the printing machine or the like for elevating and lowering the supporting means and roller whereby the action of said roller will effect feeding of the sheet when the roller is engaged therewith.

3. A sheet feeding means including a sheet guideway through which sheets arefed longitudinally, a pan above said guideway onto which the sheets initially pass, means for first feeding the sheets longitudinally off said pan and into the guideway in one direction, and means for subsequently feeding the sheets below said pan and through said guideway in the other direction.

4. A sheet feeding means including a sheet guideway through which sheets are fed longitudinally, a pan above said guideway onto which the sheets initially pass, means for first feeding the sheets longitudinally off said pan and into the guideway in one direction, means for subsequent- 1y feeding the sheets below said pan and through said guideway in the other direction, and movable means for guiding said sheets from and under said pan.

5. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like, a housing, driving means operable independently of the drive of the printing machine and pivotally mounted in said housing, means driven directly by said driving means and arranged in juxtaposition to a path of travel of sheets fed therethrough, and means for moving said driving means about its pivot to engage said driven means with said sheets to effect longitudinal feeding of the sheets along the path of travel thereof.

6. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like, a housing, driving means operable independently of the drive of the printing machine and pivotally mounted in said housing, a roller driven directly by said driving means and arranged in juxtaposition to a path of travel of sheets fed therethrough, and means for moving said driving means about its pivot to engage said roller with said sheets to effect longitudinal feeding of the sheets along the path of travel thereof.

'7. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like embodying driving means, a housing, a motor operable independently of the said driving means and pivotally mounted in said housing, a roller driven directly by said motor and arranged in juxtaposition to a path of travel of sheets fed therethrough, and means for moving said motor about its pivot to engage said roller with said sheets to effect longitudinal feeding of the sheets along the path of travel thereof.

8. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like embodying driving means, a housing, a frame pivotally mounted in said housing, a motor operable independently of the said driving means and rigidly mounted in said frame,

a roller driven directly by said motor and ar-' shaft outwardly of said housing, and means for 1 moving said motor about its pivot to engage said roller with said sheets to effect longitudinal feeding of the sheets along the path of travel thereof.

10. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like embodying driving means, a housing, a frame pivotally mounted in said housing, a motor operable independently of the said driving means and rigidly mounted in said frame, a guideway through which sheets are fed longitudinally, and means pivotally moving said frame about said pivot to engage said driven means with sheets in said guideway to effect feeding of said sheets longitudinally through said guideway.

11. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like embodying driving means, a housing, a frame pivotally mounted in said housing, a motor operable independently of the said driving means and rigidly mounted in said frame, a shaft operatively driven directly by said motor and extending outside of said housing, a roller rigidly secured to the outer end of said shaft, a guideway beneath said roller and through which sheets are fed longitudinally, a pan above said guideway onto which the sheets are initially passed, means for moving'said frame about its pivot at predetermined intervals to lower the roller into engagement with a sheet on said pan to feed the sheet in one direction off said pan and into the guideway, a shutter operatively arranged to assist said sheet into the guideway, and means for subsequently feeding the sheets longitudinally below said pan and through said guideway in the other direction.

12. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like, driving means operable independently of the drive of the printing machine, and means driven directly by said driving means and arranged in the path of travel of sheets fed through the machine and adapted to engage said sheets whereby the action of the driven means effects longitudinal feeding of the sheets.

13. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like embodying driving means, a motor operable independently of the drive of the printing machine, and a roller driven directly by said motor and arranged in the path of travel of sheets fed through the machine and adapted to engage said sheets whereby the action of the roller effects longitudinal feeding of the sheets.

14. A sheet feeding means for a printing machine or the like embodying driving means, a motor operable independently of the drive of the printing machine, a roller driven directly by said motor, and a sheet guideway through which sheets are fed longitudinally by said roller, said roller being arranged to engage sheets in said guideway whereby the action of the roller effects longitudinal movement of the sheets through said guideway.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER. 

